Question about the actual cost of a full custom build

I just added up the parts for my first 65% build and was shocked to find the total was over $450, which is way more than I expected after seeing so many 'budget' guides online.

Shoutout to my grandma's trick for her apple pie filling

I always wondered why her filling was never watery like mine, even after baking. Last Thanksgiving, she showed me she tosses the sliced apples with the sugar and spices and lets them sit for a full hour before assembling. The sugar pulls out just enough juice so the cornstarch can thicken it perfectly in the oven. My pies went from soggy-bottomed to firm and sliceable in one try. Does anyone else have a fruit pie trick like that?

Saw a 1980s Maytag dryer still running at a laundromat in Boise, made me think about planned obsolescence.

Last summer, I planted a pumpkin vine just for fun. Now I have to duck under vines to get to the shed, and my dog hides in them like a secret fort.